Seneca, De consolatione ad Helviam matrem, 18.4-5
M = reading of the whole MS tradition
m = reading of part of the MS tradition
P = reading on a papyrus
m = reading of part of the MS tradition
P = reading on a papyrus
[4] ab his ad nepotes quoque respice: Marcum blandissimum puerum, ad cuius conspectum nulla potest durare tristitia; nihil tam magnum, nihil tam recens in cuiusquam pectore fuerit fuerit M: furit Gertz quod non circumfusus ille permulceat. [5] cuius non lacrimas illius hilaritas supprimat? cuius non contractum sollicitudine animum illius argutiae soluant? quem non in iocos euocabit illa lasciuia? quem non in se conuertet et abducet infixum cogitationibus illa neminem satiatura garrulitas? deos oro, contingat hunc habere nobis superstitem!
[4] But consider also your grandchildren: the charming boy Marcus, no sadness can persist at the sight of him; no sorrow could be so great or fresh in anyone’s heart that he could not soothe it by his embrace. [5] Is there anyone whose tears his cheerfulness could not stop? Anyone whose spirit beset by anxiety his wit could fail to relax? Anyone whom that playfulness of his will not entice to fun? Anyone whom that chatter (of which you can never get enough) will not divert and distract from constant brooding? I pray to the gods that he may outlive us!
| Relevant guides | Lucan |
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